Electric distress-signal



(No Model.) I T. B. JOSEP ELEWFRIC DISTRESS SIGNAL. o. 292,317 Patented Jan. 22. 188 4.-

WLTIWESIS'ES "U ITED STATES PATENT QFFICEQ THOMAS B, JosErH, or ALPENA, MICHIGAN, ASSIGNOR or ONE-germ) To WILLIAM H. PATTEN, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

ELECTRIC DlSTRESS-SlGNAL.

.-PE JIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 292,317, datcd January 22,1884.

Application fi ed ma 19, 1883. (X model.)

To ail whom it may concern.-

Be it known that'I, THOMAS B. J osnPH, of Alpena, in the county of Alpena and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Electric Distress-Signal Light and Reflector; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it ap pertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and to the letters of reference marked thereon, which form a part of this specification.

My invention relates to signaling: devices intended especially for service upon the high seas, as in indication of danger or distress upon marine vessels.

The arrangement of parts is calculated to discharge the important function assigned in a most efficient and satisfactory manner, the organization being such as to be practically independent of time and weather, operating with equal certainty by night or day, and under an overcast or clear sky.

In the accompanying drawings I have illustrated my proposed construction, Figure 1 representing the complete invention, and Fig. 2 representing upon a larger scale certain details and modifications of the same, as will more fully hereinafter appear.

A represents a balloon inflated with light gas, and attached by means of a guy-rope to the deck of a vessel through the medium of the winding-reel 01' capstan F. At various pointsupon the guy-rope are clamped, by means of the stay-blocks or sleeve-clamps E, a number of electric lamps, 0, preferably of the well known Maxim system, wherein the con-v ducting-wire is rendered incandescent by the passage of the electric current, air being excluded from the sealed interior of the lamp. The lamps are fed from storage-batteries arranged in a receptacle provided for that purpose at the lower extremity, B, of the balloon. The position of these batteries is represented at G in Fig. 2, and the proper insulated-wire connections are to beestablished in the ordinary manner. The batteries I prefer to employ are what are known as Faures accum- 5o .ulators, previously charged from asuitable supply. Other forms may, however, be used,

and are within the scope of my invention. The exterior of the lower end of the balloon B I have provided with a covering of reflectingplates, designed to operate conjointly with or separately from the electric lamps, according as the signals are sent by night or day. These plates are provided with a highlyrpolished surface or coating of nickel or tin, and have an octagonal contour, as represented in Fig. 1. This prescribed contour'of reflector renders practicable in day-time the production of light from the sun of increased brilliancy .on all sides of the balloon, while at night the light. of the lamps is reflected all around in the same manner, as explained.

The operation of the invention is as follows: The occasion of dangerhaving arisen, the bal- 10011 is filled with gas from a reservoir on board the vessel, the lamps having been previously clamped upon the guy-ropes and the battery-connections properly established. The guy-rope is then paid out from the windingreel until the balloon has attained the desired altitude, when it is securely fastened in position. The size and strength of the rope must be well adapted to sustain the strain imposed upon it by the buoyancy of the balloon and the extraordinary stress of strong winds upon the large bearing-surface of the latter. It should so also be strong enough to permit the balloon to I be drawn back to the ship in spite of these counteracting forces. The circuit through the lamps being established, they will immediate] y be brought into action, and the great brilliancy of the series, combined with the superadded effect of the octagonal reflecting plates, will present at the contemplated elevation so dazzling an appearance as to attract in the darkest, and stormiest night the attention of 0 clamps 1'). I prefer the arrangement of the lamps in vertical series, as shown in Fig. 1,

for the reason that each lamp is visible from all directions, whereas, if they were arranged in the same horizontal plane, only a part could be seen at once from a particular point of the compass. For day service I rely mainly upon the reflectingplates, which, being raised to a considerable height, will reflect the light of the sun to a great distance. The balloon itself should be of an attractive and pronounced color, preferably black, red, or red and black. Should, owing to stress of weather, difficulty be encountered in holding the balloon until filled, it may be attached firmly to one of the upper yards upon the vessel and inflated from a tube or hose connected with the gas-reservoir. Once filled, it may, when favorable opportunity occurs, be released, and will make the ascent without danger to the signaling apparatus.

Having thus described my invention, what I claim, and wish to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

1. In a distress-sigmiling apparatus, the combination of the balloon A, having guy-rope H, the lamps 0, supported on said rope, and adapted to be adjusted thereon, and the battery G, located and held in the bottom of the balloon, and connected with said lamps by conductors, substantially as described.

In a distress-signaling apparatus, the combination of the balloon having guy-rope, the lamps adjustably supported 011 said rope and connected with battery G, and the octagonal reflector B, located exteriorly to said battery at the bottom of the balloon, substantially as set forth.

3. In a distress-signaling device, the combination of the balloon A, having guy-rope, the lamps C thereon, clamps E, for adjusting the same, and sleeve D, adapted to be adjusted on said rope, which rope is designed to be paid out from below, substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. In a distress-signaling apparatus, the balloon A, having guy-rope H, and provided with a reflector, B, at its bottom orlower end, substantially as described.

5. In amarine distress-signaling apparatus, the combination of the balloon A, the battery G, located beneath said balloon, the guy-rope H, having lamps C, retained thereon by clamps E, and sleeve D, substantially as and for the purpose described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

THOMAS B. JOSEPH. lVitnesses:

B. F. MoRsELL, O. E. DUFFY. 

